[GretchenEE]

Alsace is a favorite region of aggressors to receive a pasting throughout Western European history. We are so fortunate here in America not to live in a land ravaged extensively by war.

[visualops]

Oh that is so true. I was fortunate to visit Alsace a couple of times. There are still shell/bomb craters in the forest, and a few German "pillboxes" (concrete sniper hideouts). Many of the little villages still have some walls riddled with bulletholes. Rather creepy, and sad.
My grandfather got us lost on a visit to his hometown, insisting he knew where he was going. It was sad- all the streets had the same names, but not everything was in the same place. My mother spent the war in Cairo though, but there was a great deal of fighting in North Africa, and she told tales of air raids and rationing. I am very thankful to have grown up here in the good ole US of A.

[SoCalPol]

Alsace is a favorite region of aggressors

I have a gr gr grmo from Nancy Alsace-L & a 4th gr grfa
from Strasbourg, A-L He was Napoleon's chief bridge
builder. He met his wife to be on the other side of the
bridge in Kehl on Rhine. I have a photo of their dau.
my 3rd great b. 1824 in NY.

That area went back and forth with Germany and France.
A great A-L was Albert Sweitzer sp Most of the population
there is Lutheran.